The present invention relates to a disc brake including brake pads, which are slidably received on either side of a brake disc within guide portions of the disc brake, as well as a spring arrangement for spring cushioning the brake pads. Disc brakes of this type are frequently utilized in motor vehicles.
Thus, DE 102 33 446 A1 discloses a brake support member of a floating-caliper disc brake including a brake pad guide spring, and the brake pad guide spring is locked at the brake support member. The brake pad guide spring extends between the brake support member and the respective brake pad, thereby ensuring ease of slidability of the brake pads. In addition, the brake pad guide spring comprises spring arms in order to clamp the brake pads in relation to the brake support member in a rattle-free fashion. The spring arms are configured in such a way that they allow radial mounting of the brake pads and subsequently lock the brake pads radially on the brake support member. However, the easy-to-mount spring arm configuration permits only limited freedom when adjusting the desired spring forces applied to the brake pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,647 further describes a spring arrangement for a disc brake, which comprises a brake pad guide spring and a clearance spring. The brake pad guide spring safeguards ease of displaceability of the brake pads with respect to the brake support member. Besides, the brake pads are locked radially with respect to the brake support member using the brake pad guide spring. On the other hand, the clearance spring serves for axially resetting the brake pads after brake application. Hence, the brake pads are withdrawn from an associated brake disc when there is no brake application in order to adjust a defined clearance between brake pad and brake disc. The spring arrangement described is, however, unfavorable in terms of assembly, above all of the brake pads.
Based on the above, an object of the invention is to disclose a spring arrangement for the spring cushioning of brake pads in a disc brake, which allows an individual overall spring cushioning of the brake pads in relation to the disc brake depending on the case of application, while having a simple design.